Friday night was a somewhat underwhelming way for Collingwood legend Steele Sidebottom to finish his storied AFL career.
The Magpies lost after a missed set shot after the siren in a game where Sidebottom played multiple roles but for the most part struggled to exert maximum impact, continuing a quiet finish to a final year.
Sidebottom started off half forward and got a touch in the opening seconds, the beneficiary of a Jordan De Goey centre clearance, but would only have one more touch in the first half.
He finished with eight disposals, the most important of those an intercept mark in the last quarter when the Western Bulldogs looked set to pile on yet another score from centre clearance.
"I'm just shattered for the boys, really. To go down like that, a kick after the siren just shows how footy games these days are so small margins and can go either way," he said on Channel 7 post-game.
"Clearly I'm disappointed but that's it for me and what a ride it's been.
"I think what makes this group so strong is we don't talk about outcomes and results and things like that, those moments, we've showed in the past, we're a very tight knit group and I feel very fortunate I've been able to finish with this group of players."
Regardless of his performance on Friday night, Sidebottom will be remembered as a Magpies legend, playing 375 career games and kicking 213 goals, playing key roles in the 2010 and 2023 premiership and in the run to the 2018 Grand Final.
Pies fans will long remember his crucial last quarter goal from outside 50 in the last quarter of a tense grand final against Brisbane, while a 41-disposal preliminary final against Richmond in 2018 is overshadowed by then teammate Mason Cox's exploits, but he had a significant hand in delivering the Magpies a shot at the premiership.
Long time teammate Scott Pendlebury is almost always composed and his emotion after Sidebottom announced his retirement earlier this month summed
For the boy who made his mark in the Under-18s Grand Final by kicking 10 for the Murray Bushrangers, there was a country twang about the bluntness of his response when asked about his emotions post-game as fans shed a tear sending him off.
"Sh*t happens aye," he said.
"We move on. I feel so blessed, I'm very content with my time at Collingwood, I've been so lucky and now the next part of my life starts."
